More notes on Community Networking

Sometimes its important to strip down to the bare essentials in order to refocus on why we do what we do. It doesn’t matter what the task is, be it in a professional sense or the survivalist sense, everyone (myself included) can get lost amid distractors, detractors, and shiny objects that pry our attention away. Its understandable; things happen, situations and equipment evolve, as do the requirements justifying their need. But at the core, there are two differing ends of needs which we identified in the last post- Survivalist and Tactical, with Survivalism being far more important in the long run.

Yeah, the election happened. “Our guy” (or the man whoseems to be anyway) won for the moment. Maybe. Somebody go get Auntie Em out of the dugout, it looks like the tornado passed. Or did it? I’m of the opinion that the long messy divorce is just getting going; we’re in the domestic shouting phase right now, just prior to throwing random objects at each other. It doesn’t matter who’s actually right or wrong, the marriage is over and we’re gonna fight about it. And that’s ok. Its gonna suck but it happens, its needed to happen, and we’re in a much better position forcing the opposition to its extreme ends.

While it’s important (somewhat) to focus on all the doomsday civilization collapse kinda stuff, because it very well will affect you should all that happen and you are still living in your slothful suburban enclave, it’s a myopic view that’s reactionary in nature. People react to fear; they’re scared of variable-X happening, which apparently gets assigned a corresponding political party usually opposite of your particular lane. The Left does it, the Right does it. You’re all missing the larger point. Why not do for yourself that which you take for granted?

One way we do this by creating resiliency. One of the big things the far ends of the spectrum have in common is a general mistrust of what’s accepted- whether that’s your food, water, beer, security, and yes, communications; resiliency becomes control over the means of production; that is, the ability to produce. This concept should be applied to as many areas as possible, going beyond a hoarding mentality that many of us become subject to and focusing instead on the underlying values associated with contemporary Tribalism.

Survivalism then becomes not about having a large amount of stuff but rather a living version of Merton’s Retreatists in perfect form. It used to be difficult (and often still is) for Right-leaning Survivalists to understand how the Left could believe essentially in a mirror of these views, but they can, and they do. Their label is Rewilding. Its underlying philosophy lay with a Marxist rejection of Industrialization, while Right-leaning Survivalism is more John Locke, William Godwin, and possibly to a lesser extent Henry David Thoreau in its Individualist philosophy. While differing in its rejection of material goods in lieu of feralizing themselves, or at a basic level, simply rediscovering more primitive ways, the parallels to Survivalism in the Right-leaning sense are fairly strong. And a lot of lessons can be gathered from both angles. The Left however generally has a stronger focus on independent community, whereas the Right caricatures Survivalists as some sort of one man army fending off the world through a sense of ‘armed rugged individualism.’ This cartoonish image has traditionally been a vehicle for the Right’s detractors meanwhile the Left encourages similar behavior but in a collective fashion, often going unnoticed among the masses. Those lessons of community building is a critical one that in nearly every way is neglected among the Survivalist circle. It then must become more of a matter of perspective and re-discovering the ways of yore.

Survivalism then is not about a Right-Left divide so to speak; the divorce is coming, and you very well may be caught up in it. Neither the mainstream left or right brands will last long (although the Right might last a bit longer). But there’s plenty of lessons to be gathered in the meantime, which we have a bit more of now. A Survivalist in the individual sense cannot lose sight of the very real danger of which our contemporary world resides, and that apathy is the danger we’re currently in. We are still in an economic death-spiral. The weight of the Max Weber-inspired bureaucracy that comprises the Colombia leviathan will not stop with one man, although that helps. One way to diminish the blow at the local level when the hammer finally falls is to identify the local sources for the required means of production and embrace them; in doing so, you’ll build ties with your neighbors, appreciate the world beyond the closed walls we create for ourselves, and most of all, begin to rediscover the skills required to not jut survive but thrive. Self sovereignty may start with attitude but it hardly ends there. One must not only have the resolve but the means.

Make a list of the items you consume most often. Whatever that is, is what you should either focus on creating for yourself, sourcing locally, or stacking deep. You’re probably going to be doing a lot more eating, building, and pooping than you will shooting. You’ll very, very likely need a way to communicate with neighbors that works without cell phone towers or switchboards. You’ll need a way to keep warm in the winter. A way to stay cool in the summer. Home are built much differently these days than they were 30 years ago based around certain assumptions and completely reliant on outside infrastructure. A means to clean water is critical and often completely misunderstood. A means to medicine. A knowledge to put all this to use. And people. This stuff all matters far more than the simplistic paradigm of ‘I got a room fulla guns…‘ because even though those are important too, they’re tools, just like anything else.

Go out this weekend and find a community market or a yardsale. If you can’t find that, go to a thrift shop. Browse around, find old stuff, and think outside the box as to how you’ll put it to good use. Find locally made food, talk to the person producing it. Get their phone number. Make friends. Meet a local fabricator, mechanic, or small engine specialist. Find out what they like to do. Think about how you’d keep them on your side should Variable-X happen.

Do not lose sight of the very real dangers facing civilization. Use your time wisely. Most importantly, rediscover the sense of community we’ve lost among the advent of technology.

35 thoughts on “More notes on Community Networking”

Reblogged this on Thoughtfully Prepping and commented:
It’s not often I read an article that gets me nodding in total agreement but this one did.
On first glance it seemed it wasn’t particularly relevant to the UK but it’s content is something I’ve been hammering into people for a long time.

Cut the crap, think basics, look for and look after the little people in life who can supply you with what you need to survive and not what some ex-spurt SAYS you need i.e. the latest ‘must have’ expensive toy.

I’ve got names and addresses in my mind of those who grow food, fix things, have skills, and have a surplus supply of what I call the basics of survival. Those who I have bartered with, and made friends with.

I’m not a lone wolf proponent although it will be just me and SWMBO as a double act come what may.
Only it never hurts to have people you know with similar notions about life and survival.

I am thinking SWMBO is a bud of yours, and if I am correct you may be a DIP person. I recommend you find others, choose a place for all to go to if necessary. Think in numbers of alike persons. Also think all who show-up have an agreed to amount of ammo, food, water, and all the other necessities for survival. (for instance: TP will be worth it’s weight in gold) I could go on about what may, or may not be needed, but I think you already know this. But two guys, alone? No way, unless you are like RAMBO.

“Also think all who show-up have an agreed to amount of ammo, food, water, and all the other necessities for survival. ”

In the UK you’re probably talking about walking into a group you probably don’t know well (if at all), with all your “worldly” goods, and hoping they will play nicely?

Good luck with that.

If I was to hazard a guess at numbers of ACTIVE preppers let alone survivalists within the UK (and not the couch potato keyboard variety), you may reach a couple of thousand. And I’m being generous there.

Well fragmented, may a dozen max that will get together in groups on a regular basis to TRAIN, and not just hold camp outs and fry burgers (there are a lot of them).

Even fewer (but much more organised and proactive) operate in cities. Most of them are scattered way round the UK.
It goes against the ‘newspeak ideas’ of prepping but some are planning to survive in cities. Engineers, and other professionals who know how to make a dead city work for them.

Unlike the US where thankfully you have organised ‘well trained’ militia, there ain’t a lot of that here.

In fact ‘somewhat armed groups’ amount to only two that I know of and both of them are over 100 miles away from me. Fancy travelling that distance in a CBRN scenario? I don’t.

I also think you are talking long term.
Hell, I think at best 28 days down the line. In today’s ‘prod Russia’s Putin’ world I’m also building my plans around a CBRN scenario. Thus we will go to ground and hopefully emerge to a vastly changed world.

Less people to us means more chances and better opportunity.

BUT I’ve got a phone book full of people who are like minded, only two local to me now. Local? Less than an hours WALK.

Yep walk. Because in my worse case scenario nothing electrical works, no vehicles, and both of them live away from the river so the boat is pretty useless if we were to join up.

However there are plenty of land based resources round us. Shelter with substance, good water and fuel, and about 5000 homes that, short of total destruction, some will have stuff that we need.

Two alone?
Yep it’ll be bad BUT we never know what’s round the corner.

Find and join others?
That’ll be good “maybe”.
Find others thinking and working along our lines, even better “maybe”.

Even armed you, we, will never be able to cope with all comers.
There is always someone more organised, with bigger guns, and who don’t give a sh’t about the ‘other side’.

After all what’s better, your supplies and you sharing them or you dead and not taking up space?

Negotiation in a totally grid down, no rule of law scenario, is best done from behind cover steel in hand and away from your base.
After all get it wrong and you may just end up a home delivery re-supply to them.

Or can you guarantee that everyone you meet post-event are going to play nicely?

What if they are government?
Jeez I shudder at that one.
A loud speaker yelling “We are here to help you”, and you’d be happy to stroll down for a coffee?

That I do find funny.

28 days.
A lot can happen in that time.
Can two people go it alone for 28 days?
We do that the whole time, self sufficient, off grid, all year round.
That’s the fun bit about living afloat.

My question after that is can you, all year round?

Will all the problems be resolved by that time, 28 days?
Maybe, but probably not.
At least we’ll have a better idea of what we are up against as 28 days is pretty good for a big die off.

Is there protection in numbers?
In a long term scenario maybe, only you’ve got to get to long term first.

Talking to large groups in the UK, which I have done that over the years before ‘prepping’ became mainstream.
Some of their plans are ‘extensive’, a few talked of colonies, some with ideas that are fanciful at best.
I’ve just checked my book, there are four I know are still active. All over 100 miles away

And finally no, we’re not Rambo minded.
Only the stupid think that force and arms will save them from everything.

We just follow the grey man philosophy with a twist.
We forage, and scavenge, while others stockpile.

I think it’s quite different in the UK as compared to the mountains of Colorado, USA. Here, there are more guns, of all types, readily available. And, more hiding places in the rocks, caves, etc.
The UK is (mostly) a gun free zone, and if you watch any TV from the US you’ll find it’s the gun free zones, and there are plenty, that are the most dangerous places one could be. These places are a dream of terrorists, gunmen, and any bad sort. One simply brings a gun, and you own the place. Crazy, eh? That Sir, is where the bad stuff happens.
The entire group I alluded to has been in on-going weapons training for several years. We are dedicated, loyal, and resigned to the fact we will, without doubt, survive any threat. (excepting our own military which we will avoid at all costs)
We have several older vehicles and, in case of an EMP strike, we shall have transportation.
We have a very hi-tech radio/shortwave system. (EMP protected) We know how to vacuum-can veggies, fruits, and meats. We know how to grow theses same veggies, and fruits. We shall hunt for meat until all the animals are killed off, and eventually, they will be. After that, we each have at least a two year supply of canned freeze dried meats, vegetables, and fruits. Many of us have more. We have stashed rice, flour, and sugar by the ton, and enough pasta and dried beans to feed us a long time if necessary. We have a huge water supply on hand, with a creek nearby to replenish when needed. We also have fuel, much fuel. Each has a minimum of 10K rounds for every weapon. We train in bullet wound medical aid, and surgery, as well as serious cuts and/or contusions. Our next training will be “primitive” fire making. We have the ability to make things go BOOM! We all have military clothing, helmets, boots, and bullet resistant vests. (there is no such thing as a bullet “proof” vest). We are blessed with three Navy Seals, and two doctors among our group. All this is only the tip of the spear, we have much more. And Sir, we do know each other and the only way anyone can join is with a vigorous background check after a present member recommends you. So, no FEDS in this group. We are ready for whatever comes our way. Presently there are 43 of us and we pray that GOD protects us. We pray we never have to put our group on alert. This is the kind of group you want to find and join, if possible.
Now, if we could only find a dentist……………..

Rediscovering the “sense of community” is the hardest part of what we face. It has been said, getting a bunch of patriots/preppers/survivalist/III%ers or what ever a group calls themselves is commensurate with herding cats. In the military we could deal with the vagaries of the individual even while knowing that if you drop three soldiers off in the desert with a rock, a hammer and an anvil and with strict instructions to not touch anything, when you return in one hour the anvil will be broken. The classes I teach nowadays are mostly civilians with little to no military experience. It is exponentially more amusing and concurrently maddening.

Sometimes it is necessary to undercut the message even more basically to gain adherents and Lord knows we need more troops and more supporters, especially supporters. This was made to gain more adherents, if you can use it feel free. I just got it in my email and am spreading it as the author requested.

All the best, btw as a civilian I appreciate your endeavors. It follows the advice of Samuel Adams…….”If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.”

Springtime to early summer is looking up. A good friend who was my partner when we did siding and windows, and our friend we used for roofing work are seriously considering heading out there. I have to stay until snowplow season is over here. Plus have to do a few jobs I already sold in spring. I’m going to stop taking new work as soon as we make solid plans to head out there.
The wife is all for it-as long as I go first and find work and a house to rent.

Lineman and I have been talking about me moving back out west for a couple years.
I had contracts for work that are finally over, just this winters snowplowing and a couple jobs in spring. I gotta get out of NE Ohio

The house we live in now is a lease from the National Park Service. It’s a great deal-we’re on 5 actes but the back yard is the 55 square mile Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Still only 17-18 miles from Cleveland,which I see as a major problem should things get sporty.

Back in the 70’s a local t-shirt printing shop was selling t-shirts with a drawing of the Cleveland skyline that said “Cleveland-you gotta be tough”
It was after a bunch of disasters of various sorts took place in the area. That guy is now a retired multimillionaire.

Ahh good deal Brother well when you say go I will have work lined up for you…More and more people are waking up and contacting me we will have a Liberty Community yet…Then on to county, and then state, and then secession;)

Very well said. Our lives are rat races with no end and the cat is the all mighty dollar that keeps us going. I am of the opinion that people w skills like doctors, dentist, HAM operators,carpenter’s, etc should be high priority targets for recruitment by prepared communities. Everyone becomes a trigger puller should shtf. Keep your powder dry! The economy is very shaky.

Good article Brother… And will just put this out there again that if your area is not conducive to doing that then you need to make moving a high priority… I’m willing to help anyone looking for a better place…